SCORES of special needs children in East Lancashire are waiting up to two years for vital therapy, we can reveal today.
Nearly 100 youngsters are stuck on a waiting list for occupational therapy (OT) which is vital to help them fight their disabilities.
The Lancashire Evening Telegraph has obtained shock figures which show that the waiting list for paediatric occupational therapy is currently 104 weeks - exactly two years.
The therapists play a pivotal role in the assessment of special needs youngsters by teaching them to perform a range of simple, but significant tasks.
Waiting times at other non-consultant community health clinics in Blackburn, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley are also increasing and patient watchdogs today expressed deep concern. They include:
A 35-week wait for orthodontic (specialist dental) treatment.
A six-month wait to see the Community Drug Team.
Waits of at least a year for speech therapy at clinics in Blackburn, Darwen, Accrington and Oswaldtwistle.
Nigel Robinson, chief officer of Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Community Health Council, said: "It is worrying and we need to closely monitor the lists from now on.
"There is obviously a lot of work to do and it needs to be carefully looked at."
All the non-consultant clinics are run by the CommuniCare NHS Trust which provides community health services in Blackburn, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley.
A spokeswoman for CommuniCare said there was a dire shortage of occupational therapists who specialise in paediatrics.
She said: "There is a recruiting difficulty which is the big reason for the waiting list.
"Occupational therapists with paediatric experience are few and far between.
"The trust is making every effort to recruit and will do so as soon as suitable people are found.
"The therapists provide a one-to-one service. They carry out assessments and continuing care. Each OT also tries to establish a rapport by seeing the same child."
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